Raising Caterpillars – Update 3, Day 18

Yay! We now have one chrysalis, and another caterpillar hanging down from the lid in position ready to transform. The other 3 don’t seem to be doing very much, but I’m sure they will soon (they had better get a move on, as the food supply seems to be running low, and the ground now seems to comprise more of caterpillar droppings than anything else!)

It’s funny, but I’ve never really liked caterpillars much, even gone out of my way to avoid them – but seeing them here in my home they’re kind of cute! I love watching them crawl around and eat and grow, and find myself really caring about our fuzzy little creatures. OK, I’m still feeling slightly apprehensive about actually handling the things to move them to their butterfly habitats (have you seen chrysalides wiggle? what if one wiggles so much it drops off onto the floor?) but I’ve certainly grown a new appreciation for them. (Can’t say the same for my husband, though, who still insists caterpillars are “creepy” and “unpleasant”!)

4-year-old Amelia is fascinated by our wriggly new pets, and even 16-month-old Ciara has taken an interest, pointing at the beaker whenever she wants to be lifted up to see them. I knew it would be a good home activity, but it’s really captured their interest in a way I’d never imagined (Amelia’s even says she’s making her own book about the caterpillars). Definitely an activity I would recommend to other families with young children (or even without, as I am enjoying it at least as much as the kids and learning as many new things too!)